Key Findings
- The majority of Americans (61%) believe the United States is playing a somewhat (46%) or very (15%) positive role in resolving key problems in the Middle East.
- When asked about specific US policies toward the Israel-Gaza conflict, nearly a third of Americans decline to give their opinion.
- A plurality of Americans (42% combined) think the United States is either striking the right balance (22%) in its overall support for Israel or not supporting it enough (20%). However, a significant share also think it is supporting Israel too much (30%). A similar plurality (43% combined) say the United States is giving Israel either the right amount (26%) or not enough (17%) military aid, while a third (34%) say it has given Israel too much.
- Six in 10 Americans (60%) favor the United States supporting Israel militarily until the hostages are returned and about half (49%) favor such support until Hamas is dismantled.
- Americans are also concerned about Palestinians, and especially civilians. A narrow majority (53%) think the United States should restrict its military aid to Israel so it cannot use the aid in military operations against Palestinians.
- Three in 10 Americans say the United States is not providing enough humanitarian assistance to Gazans, while a quarter say it has been the right amount (25%).
- The majority (57%) oppose the United States taking a leading role in postwar reconstruction efforts.
Americans See United States Playing Positive Role in Middle East | Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Independents Specifically.
- 33% think America is supporting Israel either the right amount or not enough.
- 34% think America is supporting Israel too much.
- 39% think America is providing too much military aid to Israel.
- 36% think America is providing Israel either the right amount or not enough military aid to Israel.
- 52% think America should support Israel militarily until all hostages are returned.
- 44% think America should support Israel militarily until Hamas is either destroyed or dismantled.
- 54% think America should place restrictions on Israel aid*
*Question is specifically stated as "Do you support or oppose putting restrictions on US military aid to Israel so that it cannot use that aid toward military operations against Palestinians?"
This feels a bit open to interpretation...I think the question should have been "Do you support restricting offensive weaponry to Israel" rather than "so it cannot use that aid towards military operations against Palestinians" because that sounds like "Do you support placing restrictions on Israel military aid if they use it to target Palestinian civilians" in my mind...? What of Lebanon and Iran as well?
Conclusion
For the most part, Americans believe the United States is playing a positive role in mitigating the key challenges facing the Middle East and is giving Israel the right amount of—or not enough—military aid and support. Most Americans favor supporting Israel militarily until the hostages remaining in Gaza are released and, to a lesser degree, until Hamas is dismantled. At the same time, a substantial share of the population supports placing restrictions on military aid so it cannot be used in operations against Palestinians and thinks the United States could send more humanitarian aid to Gazans.
Democrats are more likely than other partisans to express criticism of the United States’ support for Israel and support humanitarian efforts in Gaza. While Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s stance on the Israel-Gaza war does not deviate significantly from President Joe Biden’s, she has been more vocal about the humanitarian impact of the war and has urged senior officials in the administration to be tougher on Netanyahu. Harris’s recognition of Palestinians’ plight and right to freedom, dignity, and self-determination could draw support from Democratic and Independent voters discontented with Biden’s Gaza policy.
